Loading and unloading apparatus.



L. H. VOLD.

LOADING AND UNLOADING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 16, 1913.

Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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L. H. VOLD. LOADING AND UNLOADING. APPARATUS.

APPL IOATION FILED APR. 16, 1913. 1,072,533.

Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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L. H. VOLD. LOADING AND UNLOADING APPARATUS.

APPLIQATION FILED APR. 16, 1913.

1,072,533. Patented Sept.9,1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

F'IG.6'.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH EOUWASHINGTON. D. c.

To all whom it may concern:

NI E srATEs PATENT orricu.

LABS H. VOLD, or WESTVILLE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 WILLIAM sn Ens &CO1V[ PANY, INCORPORATED, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATIONor rENNsYLvANm.

Be it known that I, LARS H. VoLD, a citizen of the UnitedYStates,residing'at Westville, county of Gloucester,and State of New Jersey,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Loading and UnloadingApparatus, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which 'form a part of this specification.

My invention is applicable to punching machines and other kinds ofmachines where it is desirable to bring the Work to -the machine and toremove it after com- Time is required to place the-new work.

on the carrying apparatus and. torremove it after completion. Duringthese' intervals the punching machine is necessarily idle.

The object of my invent-ion is to assemble the work ready for'thecarrying apparatus at one side of the machine, transfer it to thecarrying apparatus inthev shortest possible time, and after completiontoremove it im-' mediately from the carrying apparatus, so that the lattercan immediately return for thenew work which is to be placed inposition, thereby permittingthe almost continuous operation of thepunch--To accomplish this object I have devised an apparatus, one

preferred embodiment of which is shown in the accompanying drawings,wherein Figure 1 is a general plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is anenlarged side View of a punching machine and a portion of the worktable. tion on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar section on theline 47-4 of Fig. 1,

showing two of the loading lifting jacks in their raised position. Fig.5 is a detail view of one of the unloadinglifting jacks. I have notillustrated thepunching machine a in detail, as. the specificconstruction thereof forms no part of my invention.

LOADING AND UNLOADING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sec-- Patented Sept. 9,1913.

Application filed April 16, 1913.. Serial No. 761,552. v

It is sufficient to say that the table for car rying the work throughthe machine coin- I prises longitudinally movable rack bars 10 carriedon stationaryrollers 9, and stationary rollers 11 for supporting andguiding the work. These rack bars are actuated by sultable traversingmechanism '(such, for example, as the gear 8, as is set forth fully inPatent No. 833,811 hereinbefore referred to) in the direction of theirlength, being first moved step by step in the directionof the arrow,Fig. 1, carrying the work with them through the punching machine, and

then, after the punching operation is com pletedand the work is removed,returned'to their original position to receive new work. In carrying thework through the punching machine as above described, the work isengaged, at either its front end, or at both ends, by grippers carriedby the rack-bars. Any suitable gripping mechanism may be employed, 7 Asan example I have shown a cross-beam 12, mounted on the rack-bars infront of the punching machine, and carrying a number of gripping devices13, similar to those disclosed in said Patent No. 883,811, adapted tobe'secured to the front ends of the work. For some kinds of work asimilar beam and similar gripping devices may be arrangedat the rearend, the beam being adjustable along the rack bars so that it can be setto suit difierent lengths of It will be observed that thework-supporting rollers 11 are arranged both in front of, v

and at the rear of, the punching machine, in

Each support 14 at'the rear or receiving end of the apparatus carriesalso a set of-rollers 15and a set of lifting jacks 16. Eachsupport 14 atthe front or discharge end ofthe set of liftingjacks 160. Thejacks 16and 160 may be raised andlowered by any ape apparatus carries a set ofrollers and a5 the grippers are released, the iittiirg jatks 150, thelifting jacks 1'60 *areloweied and 7 level. The lifting jacks 1'6 arethen raised;

ing. In the case of heavy angles no f1'1- propri'ate means.v At the rearof the epl a i ratus, and at one side of the work table, is

the loading table I), and at the front ofthe 3 apparatus, and at oneside of the work table, is the unloading table 0. The loading table andunloading table are similar in construe-1 tion, each comprising a seriesof supports 18 carrying-sets of transfer rollers 19 in ali-nel ment withthe sets of rollers 15 or 150 of the I work table. The transfer bars '20r cks driven by gears 190. 7 f," or In operation, the work is placed onthe transfer bars 20 0f the loading table 6, and the shaft 21 is turnedto move the toad-mg transfer bars from the rollers 19 to the 'a liningro'llers 15 at the receiving end of the work table. The Work is thuspioperiy a'lined with the machine =but at a higher to lift the work oifthe bars 20 and above the'rolle'rs 11:, theta-rs 'eoeie returned totheir original position, the jacksl6 lo'wi ered until the work rests onthe rollers 11-, the work is engaged b'yfthe griqap'eie 1'3, the 5 rackbars 10 are advanced step hy'step, con- 5 vefyi'n'g the work through thepn noh ing' T chine to the discharge end *o-f the work table,-

160 at the discharge end of the work table are raised to lift the workes the rollers 11-, the transfer bars 20 of the unloadihg table 0' aremoved from the rollers 1 9 to the rollers the Wor'k *deposited'on theunloading transi fer "bars, which are returned to the rol iersg 19, andthe rack *bars 10 are 'retumed to? their starting position ready toreceive het'v work.

If the work to he punched consists of plates, no special construction ofjacks is necessary, but if angle are to be; punched, it is neeeesarytobi'ihgthem ith tof the proper unching position with one leg vertical ehlthe other horizeiaal. It is 'de- 1 sirable to handle them in groups -'oftwo.- The drawings show four such groups or 'ei-gli-t angles. flh'ey areassembled on the} transfer bars 20 'of the loading table 6, as 1indicated in Fig. 3, restin on their edges with the 'ap'ices of theangles up. They are gi'oup'ed about centering marks 3] on the transferbars. Each lifting jack has a recess in its head, into "which recess oneleg "of eacheangle bar will drop as the jack rises: until the horizontallegs of the angles rest 5 on the head of the jack, so that when the jackis lowered the angles will "rest on the: rollers '11 in the properposition for punchi ther'preoautions are necessary, but when the anglesare light and of small dimensions it? is necessary to limit the movementof the; inside legs. This I -do by forming a 'C'GIT-VE tral partition'17 at the bottoni of the recess? in the, jack head, having apointed'top to guide the angleslintotheir :properplaces. When a jack 16is lifted, the inside legs of the angles /22 dropi-nto the depressionson either SlCiiQ Of the central partition 17 until the V 'itside legs ofthe angles rest on or cover the 'overhangingjnqiper faces of the jack,as shown 1n Fig. 4. After the transfer bars are retracted, the acks arelowered to bring the horizontal legs of theangles to rest on the suportin rolls 11. The angles are thus set in the properposition and theproper'locatlonfor marching; in Fig. is"

shown the position or the angles eiter they are engagedand lifted by theunloadin .jacks 1'60 preparatory to lowering-the angles anddepositingtheni up n the unloadingtransfer bars. 1 The unloadin aeks 160are provided "with the central transverse recess, b'i' t withoutseparating partition.

It will be tindersteod that while work is "traveling through thepi'in'ching' machine,

time is afforded to 'ai low new work to be roperly "arnangedtn the loding table and punched woik to he removed from the *HIk' loading tahlmsothat, at chemonolusion of the punching operation, new work is an iTahg'edreacly for transfer to the work tabl t essoon as the rack harsh)are retained to th receiving position;

Havingnow fully described my invention,

that {I'cla'imjand"desire to protect by Let *ters Patent is 1 scribed,the combination with a n'ij'achihe for operating upon the work, of awork carrier eompiis i h means to -'sulpport and guide the work and moveit throughthemachine, a

transfer table arranged at one side of the &oa th"of the work, saidtable com risiirg g rans vei-sely extending "work-supporting tare,means-to move the transfer bars back and forth across the path 'of thework, and" iifti ng'jacks in the path of the work adapt-i "edto engagethe work and transfer it from the transfer bars to the wo'rk supportingmeans, "orvice versa; r

In an apparatus -of the eharacte'r'de- In anapparatus of the characterdescribed, thecoinbina'tion with a machine for operating upon the work,*of 'a work-table 'cornprising supporting rollers and; means to conveythe work through the machine, a transfer "device comprising transverselyextending bars and means to move them in the direction of their lengthinto and out of the path-of the work, and lifting jacks adapted toengage the work and transfer it from the transfer bars to the supportingrollers, or vice versa.

3. In an apparatus of the character do scri bedthe ooinbination with amachine for operating uponthe work, of a work-carrier comprising meansto suzp por t and guide the work and move itfthrough thelmachine, "a

loading table and an: unloading table a'r ranged respectively at therear and at theihgo front of the machine at one side of the pathv of thework, each table comprising transversely extending work-supportingtransfer bars, means to move the, transfer bars back and forth acrossthe path'ofthe work, and lifting jacks in the path of the work adaptedto engage the work and transfer it from the transfer bars. t0 the woi'ksupporting means, or vice versa. j v V 4. In an apparatusof thecharacter -de+ scribed, the combination with amachine for operating uponthe work,.of a work-table comprising supporting rollers arranged at therear and at the front of the work and meansto convey the .workthroughthe machine, a loading device and an unloading device each comprisingtransversely extending transfer bars and means to move, them in thedirection of their length into and out of the path of the work, andlifting jacks at the rear of the machine adapted to engage the work andtransfer it from" the loading transfer bars to the supporting rollers,and lifting jacks in front of the machine adapted to engage the work andtransfer it from the supporting rollers to the unloading transfer bars.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with amachine for operating upon the work, of worloconveying bars extendingfrom rear to front through the machine, a number of sets of supportingand guiding rollers rotatable on transverse axes, a number of sets ofrollers rotatable on longitudinal axes, a number of sets of liftingjacks, said rollers and jacks arranged behind the machine, a number oftransversely extending loading transfer bars adapted to be moved in thedirection of their length onto the second-named sets of rollers toconvey the work over the lifting jacks, whereby the latter may be liftedand lowered to remove the work from the loading transfer bars anddeposit it on the supporting rollers, and means to traverse the loadingtransfer bars.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with amachine for operating upon the work, of work-conveying bars extendingfrom rear to front through the machine, a number of sets of supportingand guiding rollers rotatable on transverse axes, a number of sets ofrollers rotatable on longitudinal axes, a number of sets of liftingjacks, said rollers and jacks arranged in front of the machine, a numberof transversely extending unloading transfer'bars adapted to be moved inthe direction of their length onto the second-named sets of rollers,whereby the lifting jacks'may be lifted and lowered to remove the-workfrom the supporting rollers and deposit it on the unloading transferbars, and means to traverse the unloading transfer bars;

7. In an apparatus of the character de-o and guiding rollers, rotatableon transverse 'axes arranged in front of and behind/the scribed, thecombinationwith a machine for operating upon themork, of work-conveyingbars extending from rear toflfront through the machine, a number of setsof supporting mahil1e,,a.nun ber of sets of transferbar engagingrollers,rotatable on longitudinal axes, arranged in front of and-behind themachine, anumber of sets of lifting acks arranged in frontfof. andbehind the machine,ta number of transversely extending loading ,barsarrangedbehind the machine and mejanstto reciprocate them in the direc--ti onf of. theirdength into r and out of supported relation withthe'rear transfer bar engaging rollers and into and out of operative'relat-ion with-the rear lifting jacks, anda number of transverselyextending unloadingbars arranged in front of the machine andmeans toreciprocate them in the direction of their length into and out ofsupported relation with the front transfer bar engaging rollers andintoand out of'operative relation with the front lifting jacks.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with amachine for operating upon the work, of a work-table comprising means tosupport and guide the work and move it through the machine, a transfertable arranged at the rear of the machine at one side of the path of thework, said table comprising transversely extending work-supporting bars,means to move the transfer bars back and forth in the direction of theirlength across the path of the work, and lifting jacks arranged back ofthe machine and adapted to engage the work and transfer it from thetransfer bars to the work-supporting means or vice-Versa, said lift-ingjacks havin in their heads recesses extendin longitudinally of the pathof the work, an adapted to receive angularly disposed members of thework.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination withamachine for operating uponthe work, of a work-table comprising means tosupport and guide the work andmove it through the machine, a

loading table and an unloading table arranged respectively at the rearand at the front of the machine at one side of the pat l1 of the, work,each table comprising transversely extending work-supporting transferbars, means to move the, transfer bars back and forth across the path ofthe work, and lifting jacks in the path of the work ada ted to engagethe work and transfer it from the transfer-bars to the work-supportingmeans,

or viceversa, said lifting jacks having in their heads recessesextending longitudinally of the path of the work and adapted to receiveangularly disposed members of the work.

10. In an apparatus of the character de- V cb iesj of t'h-is patentmay-be ofbmineii 0 th'ddirtidn 0% "their length ixcross the path of thewcmk, zml lifting jacks mm ea:

bad: "0% film machine and adapted %o'e1 1gag" 'ei'tend iflg longitudinafiy -61? fire path of the wwk, and jsimil-arly exteniin artitionseh'ch fprtij-ecti-ng from :ti're "center offthe 1 based-f a; 'igtess'anddividing the latter into two '(ipiessi-on's ntlaphelito receivezrljaeerfi: 2%) 'a'qagmflafly clispo el members "of two pieces Inte'sfmonfv of which invention, i have hereunto setlny hah'LiatiPhil'adeiph-ia, on

. LARSH. VOLD.

; Witne's'ses'p Jenn Bum, V *Gwo.--H."Bqmz01w, :Jr.

